Keep up with news and features of interest to the reptile and amphibian community on the kingsnake.com blog. We cover breaking stories from the mainstream and scientific media, user-submitted photos and videos, and feature articles and photos by Jeff Barringer, Richard Bartlett, and other herpetologists and herpetoculturists.

Friday, July 25 2014

Breaking news from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission:

The two teenage girls responsible for the viral video of them torturing a gopher tortoise have been arrested today. Thanks to your concern and tips, Danielle Susan Dionne, 15, and Jennifer Emoke Greene, 18, have been arrested on charges of felony cruelty to animals, a third-degree felony.

They were also charged with a second-degree misdemeanor: taking, harassing, harming or killing a gopher tortoise.

The FWC worked with the State Attorney’s Office of the Fourth Judicial Circuit to decide the appropriate charges related to the crime. State Attorney Angela Corey said, “We are committed to fully prosecuting those responsible for the torture and death of this vulnerable and threatened species.”